Who has Power to Forgive Sins?

Who but God has the power to forgive sins? This is the question asked by the Jews (or, religious leaders) when the Lord Jesus said to a poor paralyzed man, "Son, your sins be forgiven you." The Lord Jesus is the Saviour of sinners. His holy name, Jesus, means "Saviour," and He Himself said that He came "to seek and to save those who were lost." He came to give His life a ransom for many. (If time permists, add Acts 13:38). Through repentance and faith in Jesus many have been forgiven. (All who have repented of their sins and believed in Jesus have been forgiven.) They know that instead of perishing for their sins they have everlasting life as a free gift from God.

How can anyone know in this life that his sins are forgiven and that he has everlasting life? You will all agree that the Lord Jesus never told lies. And in the Gospel Jesus said, "Truly, truly I say unto you, he who believes on Me has everlasting life."

It is true that first of all our sins are written down against us in God's book, and we are under the penalty of eternal death (because we are sinners). But this condition can be changed. When we are troubled over our sins, and when we really want power to live a new life, this is God's message for us. The Lord Jesus Christ, in wonderful love, has died to be the sacrifice for sinners. We may trust Him. We may rest our faith (trust) in these words of His, "He who believes on Me has everlasting life." In another place the Bible says, "Your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake."

We may praise the Lord Jesus that we know He does not lie. We can all prove His words and find that He can take away our sins and give us power to live the Christian life.

Repent of your sins. Trust the Saviour. He said, "Him that comes to Me I will in no wise cast out." Therefore, if you come directly to Him and trust in Him, He will certainly receive you.

Hear these words from the Gospel: "For it pleased God the Father that all fullness should dwell in Jesus His Son. So that, having made peace for us through the blood of His cross, He should reconcile all things unto Himself by Jesus. By Jesus, I say, whether they be things in earth or things in heaven. And you who were at one time alienated and enemies in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, in order to present you holy and unblameable and unreproveable in His sight."

Refs: Mark 2:5b, Luke 19:10b, John 6:47, I John 2:12, John 6:37, Col. 1:19-22